The number of candidates registered for Uganda’s 2026 national examinations has risen by 211,437, representing a 14.9 per cent increase from last year, according to the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB).
UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo announced the figures on Wednesday at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala while releasing the timetables for the Primary Leaving Examination (PLE), Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE).
The total candidature has risen from 1,416,448 in 2025 to 1,627,885 this year. Females account for 52 per cent of the candidates, while males constitute 48 per cent.
Of the total candidature, 52 per cent are government-sponsored learners under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) programmes. The Board also registered 6,090 candidates under Special Needs Education (SNE).
The largest percentage increase has been recorded at UACE level, where candidature has risen from 166,400 candidates in 2025 to 203,875 this year, representing a 22.5 per cent increase.
At UCE level, the number of candidates has increased from 432,163 to 503,214, representing a 16.4 per cent rise.
PLE candidature has also increased from 818,885 candidates in 2025 to 920,796 this year, a 12.4 per cent increase.
This year’s examinations will be conducted under the theme: “Advancing Excellence in Assessment and Certification through Secure, Credible, Inclusive and Innovative Processes.”
*Examinations to begin in October*
According to Odongo, the UCE examination programme will begin with candidate briefing on Thursday, October 8, 2026, and run up to November 3.
The PLE programme will start with candidate briefing on Friday, October 30, with the briefing period ending on November 4.
For UACE, candidate briefing will run from Friday, November 6, until December 5, 2026.
UNEB gives schools September 30 deadline
The Board has also given schools that have not submitted Term II Continuous Assessment (CA) scores for Senior Four candidates until September 30, 2026, to complete the process.
Odongo said the submission of CA scores is a requirement under the Competency-Based Curriculum, with Continuous Assessment contributing 20 per cent to a learner’s overall achievement, while the end-of-cycle assessment contributes 80 per cent. The Project score is treated separately.
“At the time of registration, the submission of CA scores was a major requirement. To date, CA score submission stands at 82 per cent,” Odongo said.
He warned that learners whose final CA and Project scores are not submitted within the required timeframe will not be graded by the Board.
*Board warns against abuse of SNE provisions*
UNEB also raised concern over what it described as the misreporting of candidates under Special Needs Education, particularly at primary level.
Odongo said some head teachers had reported cases of disabilities that did not exist, while others had allegedly misreported candidates’ disabilities, particularly in cases involving dyslexia and low vision.
According to the UNEB chief, such practices are intended to enable some candidates to receive additional examination time or the services of a transcriber, which could give them an unfair advantage over other candidates.
He also raised concern over the alleged misuse of sign-language interpreters, saying some were being asked to interpret examination questions.
Odongo said the practices had contributed to a rapid increase in the number of SNE candidates and, consequently, the number of personnel UNEB is required to deploy during examinations.
“We therefore caution Heads of Centres to desist from this habit,” Odongo said.
*Parents and Candidates warned over examination scams
The Board also warned parents, guardians and candidates against scammers who may claim to have access to UNEB examination papers.
Odongo said such individuals could attempt to sell fake examination papers to unsuspecting members of the public ahead of the examinations.
The warning comes as UNEB prepares to administer the three national examination sets—PLE, UCE and UACE—with the Board emphasising the need for secure and credible examination processes.
